By Jennifer Parker

Jun 24, 2008 3:13pm

McCain Lambasted By Panelist at Energy Event

ABC News’ Bret Hovell, Jennifer Parker and James Gerber Report: Sen. John McCain faced opposition both inside and outside a California campaign event designed to tout the presumptive GOP nominee’s energy plan.

During a roundtable discussion on energy security at Santa Barbara’s Natural History Museum, one of the panelists invited by the McCain campaign to sit onstage beside the candidate — disagreed with the Arizona senator’s energy plans and lambasted his nuclear energy proposal.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"I’m a little bit bemused that I ended up on this panel," said Michael Feeney, chair of the Santa Barbara Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group.

He excoriated a proposal McCain outlined last Wednesday to build 45 new nuclear plants in the United States by 2030 and another 55 in later years.

"I don’t understand how it’s not compromising our environmental standards to propose a crash program to build more nuclear power plants when the industry has not complied with the federal law that requires there to be safe disposal for the radioactive waste," Feeney said.

McCain responded by citing the example of nuclear technology in Europe and Navy ships powered by nuclear energy.

"My friend, the technology is there. The Europeans do it. I mean it’s safe. It’s being done. So, to think that that is going to require some pain on the American people economically when the Europeans– 80 percent of the French electricity is generated by nuclear power. They are doing fine," McCain said to applause from the audience.

"It’s not a technological breakthrough that needs to be taken," McCain said, "It’s a not-in-my-backyard  problem, we have got to have the guts and courage, to go ahead and do what other countries are doing and they are reducing the pollution to our environment rather dramatically without any huge pain to anybody," McCain said.

"And I’d like to have you respond but the United States Navy has sailed ships around the world for 60 years with nuclear power plants on them, we have never had an accident, we have never had a problem. And I think the world is safer, the world is safer due to the presence of the United States navy with nuclear power ships on them," McCain said.

Feeney also highlighted McCain’s new-found support for U.S. off-shore oil drilling as a way to decrease domestic gas prices.

"It makes me nervous to think about those who are proposing to drain America’s off-shore oil and gas reserves as quickly as possible in the hopes of driving down the price of gasoline," Feeney said. "Were we to open up the California coast … it would be twelve, 15 maybe 20 years before those resources came online and got to full production. That’s not going to impact the price of gasoline any time soon."

Feeney expressed skepticism about McCain’s promise to find technological solutions to combat global warming, including his Monday promise that if elected, he would propose a $300 million prize for the development a car battery that weans America off oil.

"I’m a little less optimistic about technology solving all our problems," Feeney said, "I’m a little less optimistic, particularly the Congress, being able to put its arms around these issues in a productive way."

"You’re reflecting recent polling numbers my friend," McCain joked.

Feeney suggested McCain’s policies signaled a rolling back of environmental protections, and urged the presumptive Republican nominee to level with the American people about what’s needed to turn things around.

"I appreciate the spirit that you’re trying to promote, I hope that the Republicans and the Democrats can work together on a sensible energy policy, but I think we have to be very cautious about what I see as signs that we need to roll back environmental standards," Feeney said.

"I also think that I’d like to hear more national leaders telling the American people that there is going to be pain and disruption and adjustment to our way of life in this country to address these challenges. I think too rosy of a face is being put on it."

Outside McCain’s campaign event at the Santa Barbara about 100 protesters gathered, chanting "No new drilling!" and holding signs that read: "McCain: Some Nerve. Coming here to try to sell Earth-desecrating policies to us!!!"

Read more about the protest HERE.

User Comments

Is John McCain his own worst enemy? I think he has done more damage to his campaign than all his opponents put together!

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm

looville: could not have said it better.

Posted by: becky | June 24, 2008, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm

Wow! I didn’t think Captain Flop could listen to scientists. Or as he calls them “wizards”. Still it doesn’t seem like he knows really what he is talking about and he’s just talking crap a lobyist told him to say. Was he on the first nuclear ship? Just wondering.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm

Would Obama have someone on stage who disagrees with him? He can’t even have some women in head wraps. And we have seen how Bush has always loaded the audience with only his loyal supporters. I think McCain is giving us a view of realizing that everyone won’t agree. I also chuckle when people say “it won’t provide any help for ten or fifteen years” yet there isn’t anything that will help us tomorrow besides saying that no one can drive for pleasure.

Posted by: lordy lordy | June 24, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm

To Becky:
McCain has people who disagree with him on his panel.
McCain gives the press unprecedented access on his bus and plane and press conferences.
McCain holds press conferences.
McCain holds town hall meetings all the time. McCain allows dissent. Obama doesn’t.
Obama gives the press no access.
Obama won’t hold town hall meetings with McCain.
Obama is all packaged and has the liberal media let him get away with it and fawn on him with great packages.
This election is a disgrace. Most unfair election coverage in our history.
This is what happens when 85 percent of the media favor one party.

Posted by: Doug | June 24, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm

lordy lordy: Obama wants to shut down the Enron loopholes, McCain voted yes for them, now if he can get this done it is said by the experts that we will save 30% to 50% OVERNIGHT in our cost in gas.
Now why is this not top priority?

Posted by: becky | June 24, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm

The wackos were saying the same things 20 years ago. If we drilled back then we would have the oil flowing. and it doesn’t take that long.

Posted by: geevill | June 24, 2008, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm

John McCain is a good man but clearly in big trouble. He should never have put himself in a situation where a person he invited disagreed with him. Looks like he’s letting the party call all of the shots… which helps explain why Obama will win it in a cakewalk.

Posted by: Champ | June 24, 2008, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm

I love how McCain always says “my friend”. It makes him seem even more disingenuous than ever. Who wants someone who sounds like a used car salesman for President? McCain is indeed his own worst enemy. Keep campaigning, “my friend”… keep campaigning hard. You’re doing yourself in.

Posted by: Cat | June 24, 2008, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm

The best and easiest way to drive down oil prices is to quit driving for pleasure and car pool to work. But whats getting me is I don’t think its a supply problem. Production hasn’t droped off and demand has at least in this country gone down from last year. Then China ends subsadies and our gas drops by $4 a barrel but gas still goes up. I’m confused somebody is screwing alot of people, There is more than market forces at work here. so were I agree yes we need to drill here but no they don’t need more land because they don’t use the land they got. Why? because it’s cheaper to buy the oil from them then gear up to do it ourselves. this open more land dispute was just brought up to give the “news” something to report and give the canidates an issue.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm

Doug: sorry! I would never vote for McCain, my family is to important to me.

Posted by: becky | June 24, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm

The wackos were saying the same things 20 years ago. If we drilled back then we would have the oil flowing. and it doesn’t take that long.
Posted by: geevill
———-
Then why hasn’t the Bush administration drilled on the land they already have available during the past 7 years? I’ll give you a clue: M-O-N-E-Y. If they’ve been doing such a fine job, why are we in this mess? They had a full term and a half-term with control of the presidency and the congress.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm

Becky, Americans aren’t the only ones speculating on oil and the producers are going to sell to the highest bidder. The only short term solution is if we don’t buy oil and let the speculators take their losses.

Posted by: lordy lordy | June 24, 2008, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm

Geevil has been afraid of his own shadow for 7 plus years. Now that misery is about to be removed, he’s standing on top of his Ford Truck screaming at the top of his lungs,
“I LOVE MISERY”!!!!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!
Geevil, my friend, you should be ashamed of yourself. We know you’re miserable and we know that misery loves company, but you might want to go back to your cave.
HOPE IS ON THE WAY.
OBAMA 08

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm

Doug are you nuts? Were have you been getting your “liberal news” from? All I see everyday on this website is ABC digging up crap on Obama. We don’t hear about mccains fund raising investigation,we don’t hear how him and Huckabee are getting along, We don’t here about his shady pastors or shady friends or The KEATING FIVE! There is at least 3 times as much dirt on Mccain than Obama he’s been around longer. But you don’t hear about it.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm

McCain thinks he’s getting lambasted now, just wait until that first debate between him and future POTUS Obama.
Obama is not only going to lambast and expose him. McCain will also be embarrassed and written off as an out of touch, grumpy old man who needs to shoo the neighborhood kids from walking on his lawn.
McCain will be made quick work of over the coming months.
POTUS OBAMA

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm

mccain why dont you go retire now in a home your an old fool and the more you talk the more you lose do us all a favor go away far away

Posted by: angie | June 24, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm

Funny how we see things from our own perspective. I saw this story and thought: “Uh-oh, he messed up again.” McCain backers saw it and thought: “What a man! He invites those who disagree on stage with him!” Hmmm, which of us is correct??

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm

Obama is trying to end the U.S. addiction to oil and so we won’t be dependent on the Saudis and OPEC members.
If we drill and 20 years from today we have oil. After 40 years the oil runs out… what then?
We go back to the Saudis?
Drilling won’t solve the problem.

Posted by: Vanessa | June 24, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm

Dear American Voters, reporters, media. professionals, political parties, and presidential Nominees,
Please plead and request the media, pundits, and politician’s to “Compare And Contrast” ” Presidential Temperament” of our Presidential presumptive nominees? as we do for the appointments for the Supreme Court Justices of Our Greatgrand Nation.
Yours truly,
COL. [retd] A.M.Khajawall
Disabled American Veteran
Forensic psychiatrist, Las Vegas
PS: Please talk about the ” Presidential Temperament, Composer, Consistency And Caliber ” is the key for our presumptive presidential Nominees. We do talk about the “Judicial Temperament” of our Supreme Court Justices nominees and so far we have failed to talk about the ” Presidential Temperament ” of our presumptive presidential nominees. The ” Presidential Temperament ” is the ultimate and in my opinion only requirement of our president as that effects every living soul here and around the world.
Thanks once again.

Posted by: COL.[retd]A.M.Khajawall | June 24, 2008, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm

Like you said McCain has been around a lot longer than Obama so we have already heard all the dirt on him, its Obama who is the blank sheet of paper.

Posted by: nonono | June 24, 2008, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm

“The Europeans do it. I mean it’s safe. It’s being done. So,… ….Europeans– 80 percent of the French electricity is generated by nuclear power. They are doing fine,”
Its interesting that here he can note European policy, where as for health care, where again, the Europeans “do it and seem fine”, we are inundated with fear based images of 3rd world health care…

Posted by: Samuel | June 24, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm

Joe,
You wanna complain about who’s getting the most negative news? Are you that much of a lemming not knowing how main stream media works Grasshoppa?
Man, TWP! Fooled by their own media sources.
I have a poll for you Joe.
85% of America is ready for change.
65% of those same Americans will vote for change in Barack Obama.
McCain will be lucky to get 40% after Barr and Paul virtually vote rape him in the GE.
Conclusion?
POTUS OBAMA. Spin it how you wish

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm

Joe,
You wanna complain about who’s getting the most negative news? Are you that much of a lemming not knowing how main stream media works Grasshoppa?
Man, TWP! Fooled by their own media sources.
I have a poll for you Joe.
85% of America is ready for change.
65% of those same Americans will vote for change in Barack Obama.
McCain will be lucky to get 40% after Barr and Paul virtually vote rape him in the GE.
Conclusion?
POTUS OBAMA. Spin it how you wish

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm

geevil, if you think that oil is waiting for you on beaches in Miami then you have to study geology and if you think that McSame is right then you have to study archeology, there you will be able to find where the origin of the McSame’s ideas which are prehistorical. God save America from McSame. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | June 24, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm

nonono, You are wrong on that. He’s been around longer yes but not everone knows about him. You have to think he’s 70. Some of the new voters were babies when this KEATING FIVE thing happened. I myself know very little of Mccain and I’m 30. I don’t believe he is getting “vetted” the same as Obama. But it might change as they election goes on.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm

Sorry I’m for Obama. I’m just saying they pay way more attention to Obama than Mccain. I also saw that poll thanks.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm

good for mccain at least he is taking on the hard issues (at great political risk to himself) and opening up much needed discussion on these critical topics. even if we do not agree with him on all policies this discussion very much needs to be front and center.

Posted by: sonia trevino | June 24, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm

I would also like to point to a difference between teh two campaigns that is little talked about…
and that is that mccain hates amtrack and wishes to be rid of this pest for whatever reason…
meanwhile you have obama who here in portland said the country needs to look at portland and other cities that have amazingly good public transportation
now think about that… obama is pushing for a mroe responsible environmental and energy policy and end our dependency on OIL… period
meanwhile mccain
isnt interested in public transportation, or commuting via train bus between cities because ultimately that hurts the oil companies. If less people drive, then less money is generated.
Mccain doesnt want to end our consumption of oil because his big backers and all the purse string holders of hte republican party have their ties to big oil. If that goes away then whats the point…
Mccain runs on this energy policy that dopes nothing more then move us from taking oil from these people and moves it over to these people…
meanwhile where does our oil go 100% to us? or do we sell to china?
and then when it runs out where do we end up?
Mccain is way far off base with this, and i believe hte american people see through his bs pander bear lies

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm

Geevil,
You’re a great spokesman for McCain all duded up in your size 33 pokey dot thigh high boots with a pink full bodied pant suit, purple shirt and wig to match.
HECKUVA JOB Geevil!
Unfortunately, nothing you’ve said has happened. Until then, you have to remain in your clown suit. As you know, clowns tell jokes, not facts.
OBAMA 08

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm

also I want to know how we dispose of this nuclear waste
where are we going to keep this stuff and then once it breaks through the barrels what are we going to do with it…
sure it may take a hundred years and we wont be around to see it, but eventually it will happen,
it seems completely irresponsible to seek a change on energy and instead of doing in a logical way, we just go from one black hole to another
and where do these submarines drop their nuclear waste…
dare i imagine its just jettisoned down into a trench deep in the ocean
were going to be seeing some really interesting fish soon enough

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm

Isn’t it interesting how, after largely ignoring the issue for the last 30 years, during which the GOP consistently outfundraised and outspent Democrats in election after election, the media are suddenly all atwitter about whether the campaign finance system is “basically fair”? How dare Obama inspire 1.5 million donors, giving an average of $197 apiece, to help him raise more money than McCain?
“This is a big deal,” said McCain of Obama’s decision. “It’s a big deal. He has completely reversed himself and gone back not on his word to me, but the commitment that he made to the American people. That’s disturbing.”
What’s actually disturbing is the Swift Boat Media’s complete indifference to McCain’s bald-faced hypocrisy on the same issue. Amidst all the attacks on Obama’s “flip-flop,” how much have you read in the MSM about the fact that McCain has “completely reversed himself” on public financing — and is currently breaking the law on a daily basis, making a mockery out of a campaign finance system he helped create?
In the fall of 2007, McCain opted into the public financing system for the GOP primaries, which meant he’d later receive just over $5 million in public funds in exchange for agreeing to a fundraising limit of around $54 million for the entire primary process, which ends when he accepts the nomination at the Republican National Convention in September.
By late November, his campaign was practically broke, so McCain took out a pair of $1 million loans, using the public funds he would receive as collateral.
Cut to Super Tuesday, when McCain had the Republican nomination all but wrapped up. Suddenly, he didn’t want to be bound by that $54 million limit, so his campaign did a 180 and opted back out of the public financing system.
But as David Mason, the Republican-appointed chair of the FEC, has pointed out, you can’t just unilaterally opt out — especially after securing a loan based on having opted in. The response of the McCain campaign is quite simply to ignore Mason. And because the FEC currently lacks a quorum (thanks to stalling tactics by that human roadblock to reform, Mitch McConnell) that’s where things stand, pending a ruling on a lawsuit filed by the DNC.
Yet few in the Swift Boat Media saw fit to point out this glaring contradiction in McCain’s cries about broken commitments made to the American people. Indeed, as Media Matters points out, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the CBS Evening News, NBC’s Nightly News, Fox News’ Special Report, and CNN all dutifully reported McCain’s “Big deal” claim without mentioning McCain’s campaign finance chicanery.
One notable exception was CNN’s John Roberts. When McCain surrogate Nancy Pfotenhauer tried to contrast Obama opting out of public financing and McCain’s steadfast resolve in the face of torture at the Hanoi Hilton, Roberts, as noted by our Jason Linkins, firmly raised the question of whether McCain cheated the campaign financing system.
But that kind of pushback was rare, even as McCain adviser Sen. Lindsey Graham painted Obama’s decision as a dark day for America: “This is just really sad for the country. For somebody with this much ability, this much talent, to fall this far, this soon… This guy wants to win, he’ll do anything to win.”
written by arianna huffington

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm

bhrandon, I’m no expert but I’ve heard that the nuclear waste is sitting at the nuclear power plants. Although it was mandated that it should be shipped away and stored, no one would take it. Safe and easy, my Chernobyl foot! (Love the post about European health care! Amen!)

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm

Okay I looked it up with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
DOE is developing plans for a permanent disposal facility for spent fuel from nuclear power plants (as well as for the high-level waste that has been produced by the nation’s nuclear weapons production activities).
Congress has directed DOE to focus on a proposed site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for the disposal facility.
Well, we all know that Yucca Mountain has gone nowhere, slowly. So I’m assuming the waste has gone nowhere as well.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm

For decades, John McCain has been a part of this failure in Washington. Yes, he has gone further than some in his party in speaking out on climate change. And that is commendable. But time and time again, he has opposed investing in the alternative sources of energy that have helped fuel some of the very same projects and businesses he’s highlighting in this campaign. He’s voted against biofuels. Against solar power. Against wind power…
After all those years in Washington, John McCain still doesn’t get it. I commend him for his desire to accelerate the search for a battery that can power the cars of the future. I’ve been talking about this myself for the last few years. But I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough. When John F. Kennedy decided that we were going to put a man on the moon, he didn’t put a bounty out for some rocket scientist to win — he put the full resources of the United States government behind the project and called on the ingenuity and innovation of the American people. That’s the kind of effort we need to achieve energy independence in this country, and nothing less will do. But in this campaign, John McCain offering the same old gimmicks…

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm

I mean this is the thinking of mccain… one black hole to another black hole…
theres no ingenuity no american spirit.. he doesnt seem to be able to think around corners very well
Where do we put the nuclear waste and then as it starts to seep out as it already is, then what do we do with it?
I love that mccain is going about his energy policy like this because it shows his old style of thinking, his old ways
it showcases how badly we need reform and fresh ideas… all of which obama has continued to propose and will continue to champion
i dont want more oil i want energy independance

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm

oh and ps
Now this is something. A new SurveyUSA poll shows that Barack Obama is tied with John McCain in Indiana, a state that hasn’t gone Democratic since the Lyndon Johnson landslide of 1964.
The numbers: Obama 48%, McCain 47%, within the ±4% margin of error. For some perspective, George W. Bush won this state by a whopping 60%-39% margin in 2004.
The Obama campaign made news a few days ago by sending a top staffer to this red state, and Indiana has also been included in their first big ad campaign of the general election.
Meanwhile, a separate SurveyUSA poll also puts Obama narrowly ahead in New Mexico by 49%-46%, within the ±4.3% margin of error in a traditional swing state that went for Gore in 2000 and then Bush in 2004.

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm

John McCain’s innovative new ideas like nuclear plants, coal mining, and oil drilling will propel our country into a cleaner, safer future!
http://www.womenforjohnmccain.com/

Posted by: Christina West | June 24, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm

bhrandon you make a good point about disposal and storage. i live in new mexico and we live with that nightmare scenario everyday as will our children and grandchildren.
as a hillary supporter i can now be an objective observer (who has not yet made a decision about the remaining candidates). but regardless this discussion regardless of party affiliation needs to be front and center. what we decide will have impact future generations-no time for partisan mud slinging not on this issue.

Posted by: sonia trevino | June 24, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm

That’s because the title of the blog is pro-Obama biased as usual. McCain wasn’t lambasted. he let an uniformored enivormental wacko spout off. McCain made more sense. He doesn’t have to hide behind a phony seal like obama.

Posted by: geevill | June 24, 2008, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm

John McCain’s innovative new ideas like nuclear plants, coal mining, and oil drilling will propel our country into a cleaner, safer future!
Posted by: Christina West
———
Hate to burst your bubble, but these three ideas are not innovative or new, nor invented by McCain. Not to mention they’re not clean or safe either. Put down your flag for a minute and look up the facts. I’m not sure they’re on that website if you think those are new and innovative ideas.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm

McCain says regarding the disposal of nuclear waste: “My friend, the technology is there. The Europeans do it. I mean it’s safe. It’s being done.”
McCain is a liar. No country in the world has developed a way to safely dispose of nuclear waste, including France.
And by the way, it is absurd that France is always mentioned as the leader in nuclear electricity generation. The USA has almost twice as many operational nuclear power plants as France, and the USA generates more electricity from nuclear power than any other country in the world.
Fortunately there is no need for any expansion of nuclear power. The commercially exploitable wind and solar energy resources of the USA are sufficient to produce several times as much electricity as the entire country uses. The drawback, from the point of view of people like McCain, is that in an energy economy powered by solar and wind generated electricity, where households, small businesses, factories, farms, and office buildings can OWN their own source of clean, limitless energy, nobody is going to be buying oil, coal or uranium from McCain’s financial backers.

Posted by: SecularAnimist | June 24, 2008, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm

If ‘nukular’ energy is so safe, why are the Europeans trying to import their waste to the US?http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/labels/radioactive%20waste.asp

Posted by: Dream Traveler | June 24, 2008, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm

geevil
the other day jack tapper wrote 5 blogs FIVE BLOGS about obamas campaign finance reversal
one blog was blasting the fact that the press core only asked obama 3 questions about it… he wanted more questions about this amazing issue
and yet mccain skirts by from teh national media attention and even attacks obama on this subject even though he himself has done more then flip flop on this issue…
HE BROKE TEH LAW…
so tell me how many stories have you heard about mccains campaigns own flip flop on this issue?
Fox news had a small blurb about Blacks comments yesterday… the rest of the media had to run the story because it was explosive…
had anyone in obamas camp made any statment even remotely close to that… the media would have rode him like a dirty mule.
Now as far as this uninformed environmental wacko as you call them is just spouting off…
what is mccains plan on nuclear waste?

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm

Joe: What is the Keating Five??? Never heard of it.

Posted by: becky | June 24, 2008, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm

its a google

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm

Geevil,
You’re a great spokesman for McCain all duded up in your size 33 pokey dot thigh high boots with a pink full bodied pant suit, purple shirt and wig to match.
HECKUVA JOB Geevil!
Unfortunately, nothing you’ve said has happened. Until then, you have to remain in your clown suit. As you know, clowns tell jokes, not facts.
OBAMA 08

Posted by: Nat Turner | June 24, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm

cmon geevil and all the rest of you repub studs, your always all over tehse blogs but you know not to touch this environmental stuff because you know your going to get “lambasted” like mccain did

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm

There are many articles online on the Keating Five. Here is one from the very conservative National Review:
http://www.nationalreview.com/contributors/levin040501.shtml

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm

Obama loves the Saudis, Iran and the big oil companies more than the American people. Obama says no to drilling for oil in the US and the Saudis couldn’t be more pleased. They don’t want more oil on the market driving the price of oil down. Obama says NO to any new oil and gas refineries and the big oil companies are thrilled. They don’t want more refining capacity that will help keep price of gas down. Obama says no to domestic nuclear power that other countries get up to 80% of their clean energy from and the Saudis and big oil are both ecstatic. Neither of them want an alternative to oil and gas that is cleaner and cheaper and domestically produced. Obama is comfortably in their back pocket already, just look at the donations he’s already received from them. That’s why he opted out of public campaign financing, so he could receive more and bigger bribes from everybody who wants to buy his influence. He isn’t new or different, he’s worse than any politician we’ve ever seen. He is a corporate sell out.

Posted by: joey | June 24, 2008, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm

right now they are all on the hillary blog calling for women to unite against themselves and vote for someone who will knock them back to 1920

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm

McCain favors big business centralized energy, not energy independence. I’d like to see govt give more economic incentives to homeowners to buy solar, wind, geothermal or anything that would be renewable without the problems of big energy. I’ve read that solar is on the cusp of major technological breakthroughs that will make the cells more efficient, affordable and user friendly. That’s what I thing govt should be encouraging.

Posted by: Javalation | June 24, 2008, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm

Don’t let the Democrat’s war on science mislead you – we do have the knowledge about how to store nuclear waste that makes it as safe as the uranium deposits that occur naturally. BUT…another aspect of the Democrats war on science prevents us from an even better choice – recycling it. Only a small fraction of the available energy is used during the initial pass through a nuclear power plant. Because reprocessing the waste would actually make nuclear energy more affordable, the Luddites are using the same lies and lawyers that are keeping the Yucca Mountain disposal site inoperative.

Posted by: JerryF | June 24, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm

Um JerryF, Did the Dems cause Chernobyl and Three Mile Island? Are the Dems to blame for France passing its waste off to Russia now, in unsafe transport, in unsafe and unprotected locations? Maybe we can pawn our waste off on some unaware or desperate country, too. Want the waste in your hometown or neighborhood? Me, neither.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm

I’ve decided to look at the greedy oil companies in a different light. They are actually doing us a big favor by making oil so expensive that alternative energy can now be price competitive. Up until now it cost too much to go green. Medicine doesn’t always taste good.

Posted by: nonono | June 24, 2008, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm

breeder reactor works, they recycle the waste.
the issue with oil is one of usage and new drilling won’t help that. we need the majority of cars to stop using gasoline. More than 180 million of the cars on the road today drive less than 100 miles a day. That is less than a third of the lowest capacity of the 5 fully electric cars that are ready for mass production.

Posted by: Louis | June 24, 2008, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

joey
Fact: if we started drilling for oil right now… today! in teh us it would take 10-15 years, and up to 20 for that oil to hit the market
Question: how long does the oil last after we start drilling? wouldnt it be smarter to look past oil and invest in major energy changes instead of just putting a cover over this problem so our children can deal with it later?
Fact: the oil companies have 60 million acres that htey can drill off shore today
Question: why do we need to open ourselves up to the possiblity of drilling off every coastline, where, the risk of natural disaster increases exponentially and also gives terrorists a nice big X to target?
Question: this oil that we produce… does it stay in teh US? or do we start shipping it to china? and if thats the case how does that bring down the price of oil?
Fact: The two major reasons oil is at the price its at are: Demand from China and India has increased, and market manipulation by guys like phil gramm who issue bets on the price of oil through the enron loophole.
Fact: phil gramm is john mccains economic advisor, phil gramm is part of the subprime scandal and is director of UBS
Question: How does obama love the saudis? george bush is the one in bed with those fellows, as are most republicans, as most republicans are in bed with big oil.
Question: The saudis wont be too happy when we decide to say we dont need oil, and then we call for reform amongst all of the nations in the world to remove oil as an energy source and instead go for a green environment
QUestion: do you think joey that your statments actually make sense?
Question: why did mccain opt into public financing, get a loan illegally with that money, opt out of public financing (also illegal), then spend well above the public financing requirments per state, as well as raise cash when he isnt suppose to when under public financing… AND THEN
opt back in?
QUestion: the republicans have constantly out fundraised the democrats in every election cycle, obamas campaign is driven by small donations.. for once the republicans are getting a taste of their own medicine is this why you and the rest are so testy?

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

nonono, people are starting to try to conserve now, too. I bought a high-mpg car and love it. People can’t get rid of those behemoth SUVs and pick-ups now. No one wants them. $4 a gallon is what it took to get us to act.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm

I’m woundering what Mccain thinks they do with all that nuke waste in europe. It’s a huge entromental problem over there now. Byt he doesn’t mention that. Also the Navy can just dump crap in the ocean. FYI.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm

Obama thinks slavery, human trafficking and exploitation are fine! He wants to give amnesty to all of the illegal aliens who came here and are depressing the wages of the most vulnerable American workers, the poor. Poor people work hard at lower wage jobs and were barley getting by but now they’re wages have been destroyed by millions of illegal aliens showing up and declaring they will do those jobs for even less. Employers love it, they want more of it, they support amnesty so they can get more slaves for their plantations that they can exploit and threaten and abuse and force to work overtime and weekends with no additional pay and no benefits. It’s great for the economy! says Obama. Amnesty will reward the plantation owners (big Corp), the slave traders (Coyotes, human traffickers) and the slaves get comfortable chains to wear everyday and the American workers can all go to hell. Obama is a corporate sell out and the same old politics but worse. He doesn’t care about Americans or America he’s a Marxists (Democrat).

Posted by: joey | June 24, 2008, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm

besides all this really valid talk about why not to vote for mccain from environment to energy, from universal health care to national security
this is another very good reason
we just cant take comments like these for 8 more years
PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that — in which there’s a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the — of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)
President George W. Bush welcomes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Republic of the Philippines to the Oval Office Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at the White House. The President expressed deep condolences for those affected by Typhoon Fengshen saying, “We, the American people, care about the human suffering that’s taking place, and we send our prayers.”
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.
PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:15 pm 5:15 pm

joey i have to do some work for a few minutes but you bet im goign to comment on your last outrageous post
for slavery LOL

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm

looville, I’m glad you are helping with a high-mph car and I wish everyone who owns a SUV or big truck that isn’t needed would get rid of it. I know on an individual basis they would take a big hit, especially if it is new, but on a collective basis we would all be much better because the consumption would be drastically cut. It probably would help the economy too if suddenly we needed to build millions of new cars.

Posted by: nonono | June 24, 2008, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm

How are the French handling the nuclear waste problem? I believe they are “stocking” it, waiting for a future solution that may or may not come. This little problem hasn’t been solved, just handled with crafty semantics.

Posted by: Javalation | June 24, 2008, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm

>> we do have the knowledge about how to store nuclear waste that makes it as safe as the uranium deposits that occur naturally << Talk about Dunder-Head Science! When did 'natural' uranium become SAFE? The elephant the room is the inability to safely store tons of highly radioactive waste. The rhino in the room is the sky-high COST of nuclear energy compared to any other source.

Posted by: lee-usa | June 24, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm

nonono, I don’t have a lot of money (50 years old with four teenagers!) and this was the first brand-new car I ever bought. When I calculated the gas savings, it made a lot of financial sense. The bonus I didn’t expect: I feel good when I fill up my car and calculate my mpg!
When the kids were younger, we had to drive Suburbans. I hate to think of the price young large families are paying now, both in food and gas.
We need to quit talking about candidates’ religions and personalities, and focus on the real stuff we are all facing every day.

Posted by: looville | June 24, 2008, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm

It all points to the fact that John Mccain is truly clueless. He doesn’t know the facts he just says crap lobyist want him too.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm

Joey must have missed GW Bush’s Guest Worker program. Pay attention, the influx of illegal aliens has doubled under Bush.

Posted by: lee-usa | June 24, 2008, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm

Ever been to Santa Barbara? Probably more rich spoiled brats per capita than anywhere else in America. Remember, these are the folks that spray painted their lawns green when their refusal to join California’s water system caught up to them.

Posted by: lovedori | June 24, 2008, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm

JerryF-
The fact that you think the Democrats have a war on science is laughable. Just laughable.

Posted by: Suedehead | June 24, 2008, 5:27 pm 5:27 pm

When the oil line from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, Alaska was proposed, there were one lawsuit after another to stop the construction and demostrations by individuals and groups. These actions certainly delayed the line and caused costs to go up. But what I thought was FUNNY, these people and groups were using oil and gas every day. Even clothes and plastics are made from petroleum products. Bet these same people would have demostrated if there was no gas for their car or house heat.
Too many people want it both ways. There is an small element of danger in most everything, oil spills, nuclear leaks. Even driving to work every day. At the present time, it cost more to make a gallon of ethanol from sugar beets or corn than gas from raw petroleum. Near here are two big wind machine farms but my electricity cost goes up every year.
People want the energy, they just don’t want it from any source in their line of sight.

Posted by: Mary | June 24, 2008, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm

JOEY
first off please show me where obama is for slavery… anywhere any speech anywhere… i am waiting on pins and needles for this breaking news… perhaps you can find that michelle obama whitey video while your at it, or perhaps you want to quote some larry sinclair… loved how that was all the rage for awhile until he appeared and actually started talking… what a silver bullet that was for you guys against obama!
Also please show me the american citizens that are wanting to go out and pick olives or work in fields every day? because they can, but you know why they wont… too cheap
and please explain how nafta is helping keep jobs in america… and if you are saying remove all the illegal “aliens” then you are also saying remove nafta.
Am i correct in that assumption?
and when and if we remove them all are you saying americans will get up and go to work in our fields, and all the other crappy jobs that these illegal “aliens” hold because americans find hte jobs to be disgusting or demeaning or just too tedious.
You realize that mccain the other day told these immigrants that he didnt really support stopping them he wanted to give them a way to become legal quicker! of course he did so behind closed doors,
oh and he also supports nafta
so all those big companies taht took american jobs and shipped them to china, or shipped them to mexico so that they have no regulation, so that they have no environmental laws to adhere too
your candidate supports all that
so… it appears you are at odds with john mccain, the real corporate love swinger… the might pander bear!
We are a nation founded on illegal immigrants, if you odnt believe me ask the native americans, or look into any history book anywhere… and then ask yourself what your heritage is… because i bet only a couple generations ago your family arrived here, in america via boat from…. somewhere else
obama supports renegotiations of nafta if we as a country decide that nafta is no longer beneficial to america…
so… it appears you are more for obama then mccain

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm

Seriuosly, I’ll go work in fields and im in Montana! But people need to realize John Mcain has no economic plan. He just got done saying Ebay is a good modle for the economy! I’m suprised the old coot knows what Ebay is! He can’t even work a computer guys!

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm

Were I live ethonol is 2.50 a gallon.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm

Mary
do you think the reason is because we as americans like john mccain jsut cant get out of this cycle that oil is for energy
if we invest in, biofuels, solar power, wind power everywhere, youd see those costs go down…
its the same proposal as drilling off of every coast, except in my eyes has far less potential to destroy countless sea shore, and removes a majro source of our pollution.
Will we still need oil? yes, as you stated petroleum products are everywhere, anything and everything is made from petroleum, but we wont need it in the amazing quantities we do now. How much does bazooka joe bubble gum cost
not much there isnt a huge demand for it

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm

Barack Obama has taken a big lead over John McCain in the new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, an indication that the presumptive Democratic nominee is benefitting from both party unity and the sheer unpopularity of the Republican nominee.
The numbers: Obama 49%, McCain 37%, well beyond the ±3% margin of error. This lends some corroboration to the Newsweek poll from last week that put it at 51%-36%, showing that it was not necessarily a total outlier.
Key internal number: Despite the talk during the primaries that Obama would suffer losses among white voters, he’s in fact doing quite well — he and McCain are tied at 39% each among white respondents in this poll.

Posted by: bhrandon | June 24, 2008, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm

There’s no doubt people will suffer as we shift to alternative energy sources. But refusing to use the one’s we have now is pretty damned stupid. So it takes 5 or 10 years. Will we be better off NOT doing it in 5 or 10 years.
Let’s all go back to living in tribal groups. We can all stake out our favoite cave. Become one with the earth as hunter and gatherers. Yeah, right!
You Earth First people need to pull your heads out of your asses.

Posted by: GarandFan | June 24, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm

America needs energy on a massive scale. I am for what will work now, not pie in the sky. Our economy runs on oil and electricity. That’s the fact right now. Nobody is going care one bit about the environment if our economy tanks and they lose their job and gas is six bucks a gallon. We must be energy independent at all costs. If the middle east explodes and we are still dependant we are doomed. Oil, coal, gas and electricity are what we need right now and I am all for any domestic clean cheaper alternative as soon as we can make them happen but we can’t make best the enemy of perfect.

Posted by: joey | June 24, 2008, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm

If McCain was SERIOUS about global warming and energy independence he would NEVER had proposed a gas tax holiday and off shore drilling.
In terms of nuclear, if there is a way to store the waste, we should use it.

Posted by: Asilomar | June 24, 2008, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm

Perhaps many of you are not thinking.
Some of the comments on here are so shortsighted and more of the same thinking that got us here…
“don’t worry about the future…just worry about me being able to buy and run my air conditioning and my big screen HD tv, and my computer, and my two phones…and my lawn lights, and my suv, and my…”
we are gluttons
OIL is a finite resource…no matter how you spin it. That is the biggest reason these numbers are going up…it is a finite resource and that is with the idea that their is more under the ocean…and in these pristine areas…that might not be a great idea to start drilling in.
but more than all of this WAKE UP! we have only been using it for how long?…
and most of that was predominantly just our overwhelming consumption…now it is the “global village”
They have known this for decades but shuffed it off…and now we are panicking at 4$ and say (as we slap our representative arm veins) “give me more now”
So we drill…and what happens…we don’t see more than a 30cent change in the so called short term… …which disappears in a matter of weeks because supposition is filled by corporations when you put it into s rising wave …
smaller countries are already tapped out.
we get to 4$ (have you seen what all the other countries are paying)and we suddenly say we need more oil…like a junkie.
that alone should be sending big ear popping alarms off,
what happens when all these new countries are using oil and we (this industrial nation that has only been using oil in the past 90 years really…and has exponentially grown…and will continue to grow) are still trying to ween ourselves off.
what happens when those things we can’t easily figure out that need fuel (like airplanes…or some turbines) don’t have any.
What happens in two decades when we have supplemented our thirst for oil with this drilling and we see that it is not lasting again.
what happens when not just our grandkids…but our actual kids may not have OIL at ALL.
what happens then
or do you want to say again…”That doesn’t matter…we need to start drilling into those places now …for US.”
courage is hard.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm

“And I’d like to have you respond but the United States Navy has sailed ships around the world for 60 years with nuclear power plants on them, we have never had an accident, we have never had a problem”
*********************
But the Russians did. They had a core reactor leak in one of their nuclear subs as I recall. That sub is now at the bottom of the ocean. They also had Chernobyl. We had the Three Mile Island disaster.
Do we have to wipe out entire cities and kill thousands before we realize nuclear power is still a BAD alternative?
Shipping waste to Nevada doesn’t make it go away. It still takes 10,000 years! What will adding even more power plants do to the amount we have to store?
There are 360,000,000 acres currently held by the oil companies that have not been drilled at all. The oil companies are not even running at full capacity with the wells and refineries they have operating now.
Has it occured to anyone that oil companies LIKE high prices. They’ve made RECORD profits for four straight years! That’s their job. PROFIT!
An oil company is there to make money. And there’s nothing wrong with that fundimentally. It’s capitalism. But why would they want to do something that makes them less money? They don’t.
Without more gov’t intervention into the speculation markets and a degree of control over the oil markets, nothing is going to change. I’m sure some right wing conservative will brand it “socialist”. But energy is every bit as much a national security issue as terrorism. And our government is compelled to have control over anti-terrorism action. Why not energy?

Posted by: McCain is McSame...Clueless | June 24, 2008, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm

McCain proposes solutions while Obama chases windmills!

Posted by: Soetoro No! | June 24, 2008, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm

dl
Since the market is just right, I’m about to trade in my big V8 SUV for a new one. You can conserve all you want!

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 5:56 pm 5:56 pm

Joe
Nah — I don’t believe political assertions. Know anything about the big GMC SUV?

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm

Soetoro No!
Please realize how moronic your statement is.
McCain is giving the easy answers…that are not solutions.
Nuclear is a tough call. We may have to but to put out a blanket plan on that massive without putting moneys and subsidies and reinforcing the windfall profits tax directed toward the car companies incentives and purchasers who get off oil.
an Apollo project is what we have to do.
and yes Mccain’s 300 mil idea was a good one… it came from yes a republican…Newt Gingrich has been saying things like that for a while…and Obama is and has been listening to him on this.
McCain has shown that he comes up with the solutions that just happen to be answers that big oil money likes…why?
Oil companies and Bush Cheney (and they are using McCain) are using this just like they used sept 11 to go into Iraq.
They are now slipping all these ideas under the guise of helping when what they really are doing is being the heroine dealers they are…paying off the pols to give the drug addicts what they want…the drug…never finding a solution to help them get off.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm

and Thomas
Did you here about all those kids and there spray painting new suv’s because they are angry at people who don’t care.
hmmm…I think it might be you they are talking about.
Put another buck in al quaeda’s pocket buying another suv.
What American that cared about their country would go buy another gas guzzler…

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm

dl
Read up on it. Obama is in bed big-time with the ethanol industry and has taken millions from oil company employees.
And, his energy plan is to chase windmills!

Posted by: Soetoro No! | June 24, 2008, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm

Nobody is going care one bit about the environment if our economy tanks and they lose their job and gas is six bucks a gallon
*********************
You can only speak for yourself my friend. Our economy is already in the tank. And I’d rather see $6/gal gas in the short term than chose an extremely bad long- term “solution” like nuclear power.
I know that some people don’t want to be inconveinienced by having to change their lifestyle. Obama took a lot of heat for even suggesting it. But not everyone is so selfish. Those of us with children do not want our kids to have to deal with more problems we created.
Some people are willing to make a few minor sacrifices to help the future of our nation and the world. And it really wouldn’t take all that much if everyone would just do it.
America tends to be a “I want it now” society. We fail to recognize any future implications of our actions. We expect everything to happen overnight.
Bush was the prime example of this. He started wars that caused a record deficit, said we don’t have to raise taxes – because it sounds nice, and then passes on the un-winnable war and rediculous debt to the next generation.
Time for change! Not just in government, but in our society as a whole. We need to have more foresight.

Posted by: The Future Matters | June 24, 2008, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm

You must think scientist are politicians. Or do you call them wizards too. If you think global warming is not real you are an idiot. Sorry, I’m more of a Escalade man. Enjoy killing your kids. You really should subscribe to american scientific and quit reading the bible so much. Its really not an act of god or revelations just stupidity.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm

I am for the American worker. You either a racists or an elitist like Obama or too stupid to understand that illegal aliens aren’t coming here to pick fruit. They are taking construction jobs, manufacturing jobs (yes we still have some), automotive jobs etc etc. Illegal aliens apologist are fond of saying these are the jobs that Americans won’t do but we all know that is a lie. Illegal aliens come here to work for slave wages under slave conditions and I feel for them but I feel worse for the poor American workers who have been priced out of what used to be decent paying blue collar jobs. Obama and McCain are for this modern version of slavery and exploitation and neither of them care about poor American workers.

Posted by: joey | June 24, 2008, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm

The US would be a third world country without the oil companies. Personally, I have stock in three of them. Doing quite well, thank you!

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm

Soetoro No! – They are wind turbines, not wind mills. They generate electricity, they do not mill grain. By the way, I like neither McCain or Obama, but the promotion of wind energy is something they both agree upon and so should the American people. It’s economically viable and environmentally friendly.

Posted by: mhhunt | June 24, 2008, 6:16 pm 6:16 pm

Soetoro No!
he “teamed” with ethanol via the fact that he comes from a farm state…duh.
and his advisors believed in ethanol…not just corn ethanol…but an alternative to fossil fuels.
and because it was an alternative…it waas the first break away on a seriously level to find the combination that is going to work..
Not saying corn ethanol is the answer at all……but atleast it is not oil.
and ethanol plants can be converted to other bio fuel facilitation.
McCain didn’t even do that… his answer drill more. …and put nuclear facilities ALL OVER the nation in the next 25 years.
A blanket of finding locations, Building and SECURING! not only 55 facilities…but their depositories under the ground where they will store the waste.
We need nuclear but a massive plan like this one is too big too vast and not focused on evolution of the plan…it’s not thought through for safety alone…
it’s like universal healthcare not focusing on cost reduction before need for inclusion.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm

joey
If an immigrant will do the same work for less, I’d hire him. Basic economics.

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm

dl:
Obama is against removing a significant tariff that prevents more efficient Brazilian bio-fuels from being imported. His chief advise is Tom Dashle who, in turn, sets on the boards of three agribusinesses. He has taken millions from Oil company employees. It’s easy to see his actions aren’t where his mouth is.
Get serious!

Posted by: Soetoro No! | June 24, 2008, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm

My friends, we are in big big trouble when we can’t even stage an energy conference in our favor. I mean, for years Bush/Cheney didn’t like what the EPA was saying so they rewrote it and contolled what came out. At his own event, McCain can’t even control it. The only thing that could have made it worse would have been a big seal with John McCain’s mug saying “I’m an idi*t”.

Posted by: 1percenter | June 24, 2008, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm

Thomas
I wish people knew who you were because your neighbors should pack you up and send you to the middle east to live with the terrorists that you are glib about supporting.
If you back Mccain (or anyone outside of Rove and Cheney) …they would say the same thing…you are a waste of citizenship.
I don’t get disgusted on these sites often (assasination comments and real sexist/racist bigots excluded) but yeah your comments disgust me.
Your the guy who should have been there when they paid for their tickets for those two planes with the money you are so glib about sending them.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm

1percenter
I don’t see your logic at all. Any cause and effect in your bag?

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm

Well Thomas I have no stock so your welcome do you get dividens? I like 4 dollar a gallon gas so I can line your pockets so do poor people. We would not be a third worold country without oil companies. We have Microsoft apple google GE Du pont your point is as dumb as saying global warming is a “political asserstion”

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm

dl
I see you’re a confirmed hater patterned after your master. That said, name-calling doesn’t change facts.
PS: Obama doesn’t need to chase windmills. He generates a mild hurricane every time he opens his mouth. Like hurricanes, nothing but hot air!

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:29 pm 6:29 pm

Soetoro No!
Tom Daschle is from another farming state… his constituency is those ethanol companies…
McCain’s lead man is a big Exxon lobbyist… but he only did it because that is where the money was.
I believe that tariff will change…very soon… but on the US’s terms not the lobbyists.
Because Soetoro No!, Obama doesn’t need their money…
Mccain needs the RNC to get the lobby money…and the 527′s to get that money from the oil companies.
he knows otherwise he does not have the longest of chances without it.
That is the bottom line.
Obama doesn’t need the money or the lobbyists…Mccain does.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm

ld
Wrong again!

Posted by: Soetoro No! | June 24, 2008, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm

Obama and many key democrats want a data base created for any Internet user who buys anything over the net. The dems are sure throwing their previous privacy concerns out the window.
This isn’t your old principled democratic party any more. Is it?

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm

Thomas
you’re right…name calling doesn’t change facts…
you are still glib about giving money to pay for those planes to go into buildings…and for IUD’s that al quaeda planted to kill our soldiers…
Oil pays for those terrorists. Whether we drill or not.
So think about that as you are “picking out” your nice new SUV because you can get a deal. That’s noble…(that better)

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm

dl
Just wondering — how old are you? You don’t seem to be able to put things into perspective.

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

Thomas
What is the perspective…the one where you feel you can have anything you want and you earning moneys off the oil companies glibbly and not caring about how wasteful of a car you drive…
gives you character?
and I am almost 40.

Posted by: dl | June 24, 2008, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm

dl and Joe
While flipping back occasionally to see the latest funny jokes you’ve been posting, I’ve been looking at the big Hummer on the Internet. I like it. It’s not only tough, it makes a statement!

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm

Glibb? I gotta draw the line there who are you tom cruise? What does that even mean?
Oil does pay for terrorist what else do they expor out of that region?
And Thomas what happened to your party? A bunch of money hungry neo cons now thats all they are.
But then again you think global warmong is a “political asssertion” which is even dumber than the glibb thing.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm

—mhhunt—Hundreds and hundreds of wind turbins are an eyesore, not environmental friendly if one must look at them every day from your front window. Give me a green hill and lake anytime over a wind turbine farm. And no, they did not make my electrical bill less–it went up after co. started using WT power.

Posted by: Mary | June 24, 2008, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm

Corn ethanol is insanity and Obama loves it! It is causing a world food crisis for who? Say it with me; the poor all over the world and right here in America. The price of cereal, corn tortillas, chips and just about everything if you understood how many things use corn is sky rocketing for poor people in America and causing food shortages for the most vulnerable poorest people in the world. Obama doesn’t care, he’s comfortably in the back pocket of the corn lobby. Forget the fact the sugar beets and sugar cane and many other agricultural products are much more economically viable or that buterol is actually smarter (don’t get me started). The corn lobby loves Obama and loves the price of corn going up and Americans can all go to hell and Obama doesn’t care he’s the same ol politician from Chicago and we all know what kind of politics Chicago is known for right?

Posted by: joey | June 24, 2008, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm

Whoa bad choice!they are going to quit making thosebecause of Global warming and high oil prices just to warn you.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm

Joe
Who are ‘they’ and what are ‘those’?

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm

Say that all you want Mary but were I am from our energy gets here from wind and dams. Also most ranchers here like the wind turbins because when cattle sales sag they still get paid because they lease the little chunck of land to the company that ownes the wind mill. Now it doesn’t work for every region but it works here so lay off the wind power, it works!

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm

GMC and Hummer weirdo.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm

Joe
Bet you’d buy one if you could afford it.

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm

I can. I just can’t afford to put gas and tires on it. Also I’m a dodge guy so I wouldn’t.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm

$100,000 over five years to drive on of those.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm

Should look into one of the Tesla roadsters, goes alot faster. And you don’t run up my gas bill with your high demand.

Posted by: Joe | June 24, 2008, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm

Remember McCain only won because all the leading Repubs beat each other up. McCain was nobody’s first choice.
New poll has Obama up +15, second poll in 4 days to show same results.
GOBAMA 08,12

Posted by: Bill | June 24, 2008, 6:59 pm 6:59 pm

Joe–Where do you live? I live north of Lawton, OK and I still say a wind turbine farm is an eyesore. In fact, this are used to be pastureland with ranch cattle. There are now no cattle around the wind turbines.
Wind turbine are eyesores.

Posted by: Mary | June 24, 2008, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm

Even Kennedy and Kerry got upset when windmills were proposed in MA. Somebody else backyard is ok but not their own.
What does that tell you about do-gooders?

Posted by: Thomas | June 24, 2008, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm

I tell you the truth about John McCain, He was eating chilie in a restaurant in Williams Arizona, and he had a bad attitude about the Ringtail McCain of Arizona.Vote for Hillary, not John Mccain.

Posted by: Delbora | June 24, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm

Thomas,
Even Kennedy and Kerry got upset when windmills were proposed in MA. Somebody else backyard is ok but not their own.
What does that tell you about do-gooders?
***************************************
The same can be said of Nuclear Power plants, gas and oil Riggs, Refineries.
What does that have to say about Republicans?

Posted by: Thinking | June 24, 2008, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm

Well, of we’re going to solve our energy problems by cutting down energy use it seems that Santa Barbara with it’s gazillion dollar mansions and yacht basins would be a great place to start.
When the residents of Santa Barbara reduce their carbom footprints to a level equal to what everyone on earth would have to achieve to stop global warming, maybe I might listen to them.

Posted by: John D | June 24, 2008, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm

If the energy industries including wind turbins, solar energy and biofuels started mass contruction of facilities within the year, it would be at least 15 years before enough energy could be produced by these sources to offset half of the energy from petroleum from foreign imports. Looks like we just need to cut back on energy uses. No air conditioning, no lights on after 11PM, no motor homes on the highway, no sports cars, only one TV in each home, etc. Sounds scary.

Posted by: Mary | June 24, 2008, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm

Becky: What bill is that? The farm bill? And what else is included in the bill? It is more interesting when you have the full story.

Posted by: georgia | June 24, 2008, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm

Producing more oil from our coastal waters and/or ANWR is merely a recognition that 1. The world needs oil in the next couple of decades (at least), no matter what the USA as a nation can do in terms of conservation and new technology; 2. It is better economically and for national security to produce more of it here, rather than letting more $$$ go to foreign countries, especially those hostile to human rights and democracy; and 3. oil production to USA standards will be much more environmentally friendly compared to the lax standards in places like Nigeria and Venezuela.

Posted by: Flanigan | June 24, 2008, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm

Guys, we MUST create an energy policy that reduces our dependance on oil, foreign and domestic….period. Yes, we will continue to need oil, but if we invest in R&D for Solar, Wind & Hydrogen now, we can preserve our standard of living. Drilling will then be reduced to levels only needed to produce essential products, etc. Even our current “OIL” companies could become instrumental in producing the newest technologies. And who better than them, with all their profits to invest?
The pain we are feeling now is just the beginning! We have had NO formidable long-term energy for over 30 plus years. We cannot wait any longer. Time is literally running out.
This is not a political problem, it is a mainstream, societal, fact-of-life, real-world issue that we CAN do something about only if we plan for the future now. And the future in oil is finite….it will run out. It will not run out before you wear out your Hummer, it will not run out before your children grow old, BUT, it will run out and we morally cannot fail to act now.
You can be selfish about your Hummers, your Wave-runners, your gas guzzlers in general, etc, but doing so WILL cost this country, and even the world, its future. We MUST cut back, we MUST act quickly and we MUST work together to affect the necessary motivation and innovation to get these changes in technology created.
Let’s stop being blind and unaware of the scientific facts and begin now to work together to demand our governmental officials to preserve our future with a long-term energy policy that works for us all.

Posted by: Mark | June 24, 2008, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm

Nat Turner:
You better Take Your Meds!
John McCain will Clean Obama’s Clock
in any Debate!
Obama knows it that’s why he won’t
join McCain in any Town Halls!
He’s an Empty Suit and the Only Way
He’ll be POTUS Is In Your Dreams!
No You Can’t!

Posted by: reaganfan | June 24, 2008, 11:53 pm 11:53 pm

McCain blatantly exaggerates when he says that Europeans “do” nuclear energy — the USA has more nuclear facilities than all the European countries put together. He also fails to mention that the Europeans have no good long-term solution for the disposal of nuclear waste either.
If we are going to use Europe as an example, then better we look to Austria and Italy (which have both completely ended nuclear power production), as well as Belgium, Germany, and Sweden (which are in the process of eliminating it).

Posted by: mark in germany | June 25, 2008, 2:48 am 2:48 am

I noticed in the pics that this forum was held at a dinosaur Museum. Quite appropriate for McCain…. but perhaps he was just there looking for a running mate.

Posted by: observer | June 25, 2008, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm

Pelosi, Obama and their DNC buddies ae all corrupt. We need to replace Dems in Congress.
The Clintons are forced to help Barack Hussein Obama. The DNC “selected” him — he was not “elected” by the majority of American people.
Good grief, figure it out. The Clinton’s can help Obama but it is up to him to figure out the electoral math and reach out to the Clinton supporters. Instead, it is continuous veiled threats from the ObamaNation and attempts to degrade the Clinton’s reputations.
What McCain may see that others don’t is the weakness of the so-called unified party strategy. The reluctance is high and it won’t take many more flip-flops by Obama to undo it given his reluctance to get his Luddite ears out of his chickenLittle behind on energy policy.
Change for the worse is not change we want to believe in and — if it comes to electing another Republican to get change we need — then ‘yes we can’.
McCain 2008 — Hillary 2012.

Posted by: ANYBODY BUT OBAMA | June 26, 2008, 1:13 am 1:13 am

Let’s say we had taken Jimmy Carter’s advice in 1978 when he called the energy crisis “the moral equivalent of war” and invested in energy independence then. All of our fortune we have squandered protecting our right to make the Saudis and the oil companies wealthy could have been used to secure our economy and our environment. But oh I forgot, Jummy Carter was a dismal failure and Ronald Reagan saved our country. Talk about heads up asses.

Posted by: Bob | June 26, 2008, 11:22 am 11:22 am

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